Drier.



W. D. ALTHOUSE.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. D. ALTHOUSE.

. DRIER.

APPLlCATlQN FILED gov. 15, 1915.

Patented 0ct.16,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w. nf-Anaouse.

DRr-ER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1915.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

4 SiEETS-SHEET 3 w. u. ALTHOUSE. DRIER.

APPLICATLQN FILED NOV. 15,1915.

L mial. Patented 001510, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET? entree.

WILSON D. ALTHOUSE, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. to, rare.

Application filed November 15, 1915. Serial No. 41,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILSON D. ALTHoUsE, a citizen of the United States,residing at N orristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of-Pennsylvania,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to drying apparatus designed more particularlyfor drying fuel briquets, but capable of use for drying other bodiespossessing similar characteristics, or requiring like conditions ofdrying.

The briquets for the drying of which the structure about to be describedis primarily intended, consist of particles of coal, lignite,

or like substance, cemented together in compact bodies or blocks ofsuitable form and size, and having as delivered from the moldingapparatus, more or less surface moisture. It is desirable that thismoisture be removed, and that the briquets be delivered in dry and hardcondition, to the end that they may maintain their shape and conditionwhen stored in considerable quantities, and during handling as intransportation and delivery. The removal of the moisture is fure therdesirable in order to prevent the briquets or blocks from freezingtogether in cold weather. Such drying I accomplish bythe structure andmeans here illustrated and described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection of the drier,

shortened by brealg ng away a portion to bring the drawing ithin theavailable limits of the sheet; Fig. 2, a partial top or plan likeindication is extended over a portion only of the cut surfaces, andparts which are duplicated to a considerable extent are in art shownonly in outline.

s seen in Fig. 1, the structure consists essentially of a receivingchamber or section 1, in the lower part of which are formed circuitouspassages or flues 2, for the flow of heated air or gases, which may bethe waste gases and products of combustion from a boiler furnace or thelike, or the air may be heated by special means and introduced throughsaid passages or flues 2. This air or gas after traversing saidpassages,

rises through flues-3, and passes in a like circuitous or zigza coursethrough metallic pipes 4 and 5 in t e upper part of the receivingchamber, and through a suitable flue 6, finally escaping into andpassing off by a suitable stak or chimney 7 The pipes 4 and 5 arepreferably circumferentially' corrugated, ,to afford 'ample radiatingsurface. An endless carrier-belt 8 traverses said receiving chamber 1and coolingor tempering extension or chamber 9, in which latter thedrying is, completed, and the briquets or blocks are gradually cooled orreduced in temperature. This belt 8 is provided with drive chains whichpass .about sprocketwheels 10, the upper stretch of said belt passingabove the circuitous flues or passages 2 in the baseof the receivingchamber 1, and

beneath the pipes 4 and 5 through which the heated air'or gases pass tothe chimney or stack 7. By such passage between thetwo sets of 'heatingflues, the carrier-belt 8 and the briquets-or articles to be dried,lying thereon, are subjected to heat on all sides, and the metallicplates of which the carrier belt is formed become heated to a properdegree, and by reason of their mass and their being contained within asubstantially closed chamber, retain their heat for a considerable time.As a consequence, fuel is economized,

and all danger of chilling the briquets or other articles by bringingthem into contact 'with a cold carrier-belt is avoided. The

warm dry air of the receiving chamber 1 rapidly takes up thenioisture ofthe briquets, vaporized by the heat of the chamber,

and, charged with such moisture, is drawn longitudinally through thetempering chamber- 9 above the endless carrier-belt 8 to near itsdelivery end, where it passes through a suitable pipe or flue 11 toasuction fan 12,

.or other draft-producing device.

The roof of the receiving chamber 1-is made considerably higher thanthat of the extension or tempering chamber 9, but'has "at its endsdepending or downwardlvextending portions 13 and 14, which tend toconfine a body of the lighter and warmer air always in the receivingchamber.

The walls and body of the structure may be constructed in any usualmanner, and of any suitablematerials, as brick, tile, and the like, orof cement or concrete. In the drawin'gs I have illustrated a brick-workstructure with fire-brick lining the heating flues, and terra-cottahollow tiles forming the ceiling of the receiving and temperingchambers, suitable structural steel members being employed to carry theroofs .of the chambers and the flues. No claim is, however, made tothese features 1961 se, and such details of construction may be variedas desired.

The endless carrier-belt is preferably near the edges 17. These plates19 serve to.

support the edges 16 of proximate plates, and prevent their droppingdown. The axles 18 are connected one with another by links 20,arrangedlin'pairs, each axle being furnished with a roller 21 placedbetween the inner pair of links 20 carried by it. This construction willbe understood upon reference to Fig. 7. By this construction a series ofhingeoints is formed, connecting the varlous plates'of the carrier-belt,and concentric with the axis of each of said joints are supportingrollers by which the belt is carried upon suitable tracks or ways 22. Inthis manner the carrier-belt is maintained in proper plane throughoutits travel through the chambers 1 and 9, and by reason of the rollersthe power required to move the belt and its load is reduced to aminimum. The links 20- connected by theaxles 18 constitute drivingchains,-'and the rollers coming in contact with the teeth or sprocketsof the wheels 10, give a rolling instead of a-rub bing friction, andthus tend further to reduce the power required for moving the-belt.

Driving power isapplied to the shaftf'or journal carrying thesprocket-wheels at either end of the structure, and-suitable tension ortake-up devices are provided to prevent slack in the chains andcarrier-belt, such, for instance, as indicated in Fig. 3. The track 22may be of any suitable form and construction, Fig. 6 indicating lightrails carried by angle bars extending longitudinally of the chambers 1and 9, and seout the apparatus.

a short guard-rail 23 is placed ilbOWB each track 22 to compel therollers to follow the track-rails, and pass properly to the somewhatlower level which the upper stretch of the chains and carrier-belt'takein passing through chamber 9.

Through employment of the imperforate metal plates in the constructionof the endless carrier-belt, I accomplish two principal results. I

First. A practical-separation of the space above the upper or carryingstretch of the belt and the space below it, thus causing themoisture-charged air to pass directly to the flue 11 and exhaust fan 12,and preventing any considerable draft of air upward from beneath saidcarrying stretch of the belt. In other words, I compel a constant travelof air longitudinally through the chambers 1 and 9, between the lowerflues,2 and the upper flues or pipes 1 and 5 in theformer,

and thence above the carrier-belt through tween upper and lower heatingflues therein.

Second. I prevent in considerable degree .any flow of air from the spacebelow the upper or carrying stretch of the belt to the space above it inthe tempermg chamber 9, or in other words, I better assure an adequateflow or current of air longitudinally through chambers 1 and 9. thesolid plates retain their heat much longer than would perforate platesor'foraminous sections, thus maintaining greater uni formity oftemperature conditions through- The briquets or other bodies to be driedwill be supplied in any convenient way to the carrier-belt 8 where itenters chamber 1, and will be delivered from the opposite endto'conveyers of any suitable character, or directly into bins orreceptacles.

The pipes 5 are represented as of larger diameter than the pipes 4, inorder to give a ,freer passage to the warm air as it nears Incidentally,

ing through the drier, and the briquets are thus precluded from fallingoff or rolling about.

Any suitable form of suction device, 5 pump, or the like, may beemployed for inducing a flow of air through the drier, the ordinarlycentrifugal fan being here represented merely as illustrative of suctlondevices generally.

The dimensions of the apparatus and its parts may vary as circumstancesrequire, and the flues 2, 3 and 6 may be arranged in any convenient waythat will secure an adequate heating of the space above.

In dryingdiflferent substances or bodies, or bodies employing binders ofdifferent natures, it is desirable to vary or temper the heat as theexhaust flue 11 is approached. If the structure be built with referenceonly,

to one special use, or to the drying of products of one definite andunvarying character, the location of the flue 11 withreference to thechamber 1 and its inlet, and to the delivery end of the temperingchamber 9 and space between the ceiling of said tempering chamber andthe belt, maysufliciently govern-the ingress of air at the delivery end,and the consequent tempering of the air at and near the exhaust flue 11.To permit such regulation to be more perfectly controlled, however, tosuit different products, a curtain or valve 24 may be provided at saiddelivery end, as indicatedin Fig. 1. This may conveniently be made ofheavy duck or like fabric, of a'suitable number of plies or thicknesses,or it may be made of metal if desired. In practice, however, I find itconvenient to employ the duck. The lower portion of the curtain shouldbe free, in order that when adjusted close to the carrier-belt or apron,or where ontact with the'briquets,

boulets, or other articles does or may occur,

it may yield sufiiciently to permit them to pass. Where hightemperatures are employed, the curtain will bemade of asbestos, or other.suitable heat-resisting material. The upper edge of the curtain may beclamped in any convenient manner, to permit its adjustment. Under thisconstruction, a greater or less quantity of air, as required, may bepermitted to enter at the delivery end of chamber 9, thus meeting theair flowing in the opposite direction from chamberv 1, and tempering orchilling the same at or nearthe flue 11'. This is quite desirable whentreating briquets of the character referred to, since the air enteringat the receiving end of chamber 1, and becoming heated and expanded,rapidly absorbs the moisture contained in and upon the briquets, andcauses them to become quite well set and hardened as they pass throughthe tempering chamber 9. In this condition the briquets aresomewhatrapidly chilled and more perfectly hardened, through suddenlymeeting the colder current of air entering at the delivery end ofchamber 9. The effect is found to be'highly beneficial, and perfectly.set and hardened boulets or briq'uets result.

The importance of the several features of construction above set out isin no sense mat-.

.details of its construction are immaterial and may be varied at will,provided its imperforate character and its capacity to properly supportand carry the briquets, and constitute a partition or diaphragm betweenthe space above and the space below the upper stretch of such belt as itpasses through the ldileating'and tempering chambers, be assure Havingthus described my invention, what,

I claim is 1. A drying apparatus comprising a receiving chamber closedat its top, bottom and sides but open at its ends, and havingdownwardly-extending roof portions at said ends; heating flues in thebase of said chamber and near the roof or ceiling thereof; and anendless carrier-belt,;the upper or carry ing stretch of which passesthrough the receiving chamber between the upper and lower flues thereof.

2. A drying apparatus comprising a receiving chamber and an extension ortempering chamber connected therewith, the ceiling of the receivingchamber being higher than that of the tempering chamber, and formed withdownwardly-extending portions at its ends; heating flues in the base ofthe receiving chamber and near the roof or ceiling thereof; an endlesscarrier-belt, the upper or carrying stretch of which passes through thereceiving chamber between the upper and lower flues thereof, and thencethrough the tempering chamber; and means for producing a flow of airfrom the inlet end of the receiving chamber, through said chamber andthrough the tempering chamber, and thence to the outer atmosphere.

3. In combination with receiving and tempering chambers, the formerhaving an elevated air-retaining spaceand provided with edges andfashioned to maintain close con nection atall times, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination With chambers 1 and 9,

and with flues 2, 4L and 5 communicating with the up-take stack, trackrails 22 extending above and beneath the fiues 2 ;.an endlesscarrier-belt 8 passing through said chambers and about sprocket Wheels10; supporting rails 21'for said carrier-belt; axles 18 carried by theplates of said belt; links 20 connecting said axles and forming sprocketchains and an exhaust device. I

5. A drier comprising a receiving chamber provided with means forheating the same,

said chamber open at its receiving end; a tempering chamber forming acontinuation of the heating chamber and open at its delivery end; acurtain or valve at the delivery end of said tempering chamber, servingto regulate the ingress of air; an exhaust flue opening from saidtempering chamber; and means for causing an outward current of airthrough said flue.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILSON D. ALTHOUSE.

